High Court Judge, Justice Salesi Temo will sum up the murder and robbery case of 44-year-old Sudesh Mani Naidu tomorrow before the three assessors make their decision.
It is alleged that Naidu robbed 74-year-old Vidiya Wati of $2,200 worth of assorted jewellery and then allegedly murdered her on 13th January, 2013 at Johnson Road in Lautoka.
While making the closing submission in court today DPP lawyer Sherlin Kiran said that the prosecution witnesses have told the court that they saw Naidu going to Wati’s house on the day of the incident.
Kiran says the witnesses confirm that moments after Naidu left Wati’s house, she started yelling for help.
She says Wati had told her daughter-in-law that the person who had come to sell photographs 2 months ago had assaulted her.
Kiran says this piece of evidence has to be noted from a dying person as the prosecution witnesses had said that Naidu was the only one selling photographs in the area.
The DPP lawyer says even the accused admitted that he used to sell photographs.
She says Naidu had also confessed in the caution interview that he had assaulted Vidiya Wati.
Kiran also says that the evidence given by Naidu about the injuries from his alleged assault in custody is not shown in his medical report.
She says Naidu did not complain about the assault to the JP, the doctor and the magistrate.
Kiran says he only did this when he went to the High Court.
Defence lawyer Safaira Ratu says Naidu did not rob nor did he engage in the conduct that caused Wati’s death.
Ratu asked the 3 assessors if any of the witnesses saw Naidu at the scene.
She says none of the witnesses saw Naidu rob and murder Wati adding that none of them testified that they saw him at the crime scene.
Ratu said it was highlighted in court that the man who went to Wati’s house wore dark clothes.
She asked why the dark clothes have not been presented in court as an exhibit.
She says the element of murder and robbery has not been proven.
Justice Temo will sum up the case at 2.15pm tomorrow.
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